Hoppies from the air, via Google I tucked in downstream from a houseboat and tied up to the dock. On land, across a connecting walkway and just up the hill, are the office and several other buildings. At the marina is a long, wide dock, running parallel to the bank, with boat tie ups on either side and a wide area in the middle for tables for socializing by the folks using the marina as a home base, or a transient stop. So even if you don’t need fuel, an exploratory stop is in order. I say ‘famed,’ because it is mentioned in most accounts of river travel in this area and is prominent in the commercial guides, such as the old edition of Quimby’s that Dave gave me in Hannibal, because of its location as a remote refueling stop and social gathering point. I didn’t know a thing about Kimmswick, MO, but it was only a half-mile walk from the famed Hoppies Marine, an obligatory stop for anyone traveling the river. Most of the wing dams had sand piled up behind them, a function of the current. Wider, a bit of current and huge wing dams. (Photo by Ron Haines) The river’s character is changing again. A ‘tow’ is a collection of barges tied together and pushed from the rear by a towboat. Here’s a tow coming upstream under a bridge.
